Identification of an antigen associated with transforming genes of human and mouse mammary carcinomas

Sera from tumor-bearing mice immunoprecipitated a 86,000-dalton glycoprotein from extracts of NIH cells transformed by human mammary carcinoma DNA. This antigen was not immunoprecipitated from extracts of NIH 3T3 cells, spontaneously transformed NIH cells, NIH cells transformed by normal human DNA, NIH cells transformed by human bladder carcinoma DNA, or NIH cells transformed by Rous sarcoma virus DNA. In addition, sera from mice bearing tumors induced by NIH cells transformed by either normal human DNA or human bladder carcinoma DNA did not immunoprecipitate this antigen from extracts of NIH cells transformed by human mammary carcinoma DNA. However, this antigen was immunoprecipitated by sera from mice bearing tumors induced by NIH cells transformed by mouse mammary carcinoma DNAs and from mice bearing primary mammary carcinomas. These results indicate that this glycoprotein represents an antigen that is specifically associated with expression of the transmissible transforming genes of human and mouse mammary carcinomas.